This invention relates generally to eyewear, and more particularly to clip-on sunglasses or other lenses which are intended to be mounted on a pair of glasses or sunglasses, and the eyeglass frames for mounting of such lenses. In presently known lens mounting arrangements, lenses, usually light filtering lenses, are mounted onto an eyeglass frame by means of clamping mechanisms on the lenses. Moffitt, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,127 discloses such clip-on sunglasses.
In other lens mounting arrangements, the lens is mounted into an eyeglass frame by means of a "tongue and groove" connection between the lens and the interior of the eyeglass frame. Such configurations are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,730,915, 4,824,233, and 4,674,851, all to Jannard and U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,103 to Gaspari.
There is a need for detachable light filtering or protective lens system which presents an attractive appearance when assembled, while enabling the easy attachment and removal of the "clip-on" lens.
An object of the present invention is to provide a mounting structure for light filtering or protective lenses and other lenses atop eyeglass and sunglass frames. A further object of the invention is to provide ease of attachment and detachment of the mounted lenses atop the eyeglass or sunglass frames. Yet a further object of the invention is to provide an eyeglass frame plus clip-on lens assembly which has an attractive appearance and which is easily manufactured.